Thanks to its bountiful gas and oil reserves, the tiny state of Brunei has one of the world’s highest standards of living. Brunei is located in the South China Sea on the north-west coast of the island of Borneo - wedged between the Malaysians states of Sarawak and Sabah. The capital and largest city in Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan. Other large cities in Brunei are Kuala Belait with a population of 27,800, and Seria with 23,400.

Brunei, or Brunei Darussalam, is a Constitutional Sultanate. As at the year 2012 Brunei had a population of 408,000. The monetary unit Brunei is a Brunei dollar.

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Interesting Facts about Brunei

The major languages of Brunei are Malay, English and Chinese;

65% of the population of Brunei are of Malay ethnicity, and 10% are Chinese;

The religious make up of Brunei is Muslim 78%, Christian 8% and Buddhist 7%;

The Ruling Royals of Brunei possess a huge private fortune, and the population pay no taxes and enjoy generous state handouts;

Brunei was the only Malay state which chose to remain part of the British Protectorate, instead of joining the federation that became Malaysia. It was relatively late in 1984 when full independence was achieved;

In 2014, Brunei adopted Sharia Law, and became the first East Asian country to do so. Sharia Law allows for punishments such as amputation for theft and stoning for adultery;

Bruneians value equality, with work opportunities being the same for women as they are for men;

It’s not uncommon for a woman to earn more money than her male counterpart due to possessing higher educational qualifications; however, women are not allowed to hold specific responsibilities such as to become the kingdom’s ruler, or being an Imam to lead prayer;

Because Brunei is a ‘dry’ country, alcohol is not sold anywhere, although it can be consumed in the privacy of one’s own home. In Brunei, alcohol sale and drinking in public is strictly prohibited;

The Empire of Brunei was declining in the 19th century with a lot of its territory being lost to the White Rajahs of Sarawak: this explains why, today, Brunei is separated into two landmasses;

Brunei’s economy is predominantly based on oil, natural gas and coal;

Brunei is one of the very few countries where women still don’t have the right to vote;

Bruneian citizens have free public health;

The Sultan of Brunei is one of the wealthiest people on earth: he has more than 500 luxury cars in his collection and a palace with more than 1500 rooms;

Brunei’s agriculture includes vegetables, rice, and tropical fruits such as bananas, papaya and watermelon.